GALLATIN, Tenn. (Oct. 31, 2009) - Donnie Rubel of Murfreesboro, Tenn., won the Bass Fishing League Old Hickory Lake Wild Card tournament on Saturday with a two day catch of seven-bass weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces. The win qualifies him for the 2010 BFL All-American where he could ultimately win a top prize of $140,000 and a trip to the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup. In addition, the victory earned Rubel $4,777 from the optional entry fee pot proceeds.
"It was a tough day of fishing," said Rubel. "I really had to work hard, the rain that we got last night really muddy up the water in the creeks but I just kept chuckin' and winding and was able to get two keepers in the boat today. It was tough, I made over 1000 casts!"
Rubel was fishing shallow waters, 4-feet depths, using Lucky Craft crankbaits. This will be Rubel's first trip to the BFL All-American.
Rounding out the top six boaters, who also qualify for the BFL All-American, are Jason Grape of Rainbow City, Ala. (9 bass, 19-10); Brad Hallman of Norman, Okla. (10 bass, 17-15); Mark Morgan of Science Hill, Ky. (9 bass, 16-9); Patrick Bone of Cleveland, Ga. (8 bass, 15-14); and Dale Gorrell of Quakertown, Penn. (8 bass, 15-2).
Tom Hill took home the Boater Division Big Bass award caught on Saturday, earning $285 for a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass he caught.
Jason Boyett of Atlanta, Ga., qualified for the Walmart BFL All-American and earned $2,535 from the optional entry fee pot as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to 7- bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces that he caught on a rattletrap.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers and qualifying for the BFL All-American are Ronny Webb of Dyersburg, Tenn. (5 bass, 11-4); Lee Black of Danville, Ala. (7 bass, 10-15); Martin Wallace of Lexington, Ky. (6 bass, 10-9); Jason Ezell of Lucedale, Miss. (7 bass, 10-5); and Jacob Weisman of Nanjemoy, Md. (2 bass, 8-4).
Michael Walters earned $158 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass Saturday.
Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will send six boaters and six co-anglers to the 2010 BFL All-American where a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-anglers will compete. The seven regional championships plus the Wild Card championship each send six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Walmart BFL All-American, which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division.
The 2010 All-American will be held on DeGray Lake in Hot Springs, Ark., May 27-29.